Does hydrogen win the race?

Does hydrogen win the race?

From April 24th to 26th, over 1,000 participants from 25 nations are expected at the engine symposium in the Vienna Hofburg. Bernhard Geringer, chairman of the Austrian Association for Automotive Technology (ÖVK) and organizer of the symposium, offered a foretaste of the highlights during a press conference. Uwe Dieter Grebe, board member for business development, international operations, powertrain engineering and racing at the Graz AVL List and Arnd Franz, chairman of the board and CEO of the Mahle Group, explained how important technology competition is for the entire industry and what role hydrogen will play in the mobility circus. Grebe emphasizes: "The electric drive will play a significant part in the mobility system in the future. Nevertheless, we must remain open to technology, as there are different regulatory requirements worldwide. A sustainable energy economy requires the storage and transport of large amounts of energy. This can only be done with the help of molecules over long distances. We have to think about the correct allocation of energy sources to all primary energy users."

Hydrogen is part of the future, adds Bernhard Geringer. It allows emission-free mobility, for example in combination with fuel cells, but is also an interesting storage device for green electricity that can be transported over long distances: “Whether on the Le Mans race track or in heavy commercial vehicles, many areas of application for this alternative fuel are currently being tested.” Arnd Franz emphasizes: “We need competition between ideas and technologies.” In addition to electromobility, sustainable fuels are an important energy source for the transport sector. Therefore, the development of the associated infrastructure and drive systems would have to be further advanced. Franz points to the importance of the International Vienna Motor Symposium, which has been a meeting place for board members and executives from all over the world as well as leading research institutions for 45 years. Geringer says: "Green electricity is competing against green hydrogen and synthetic fuels from renewable energy. The race is open and it is becoming increasingly clear that there will not be one solution."

But it's not just the drive and energy supply that will concern experts at the symposium, but also autonomous driving, says Geringer. He was able to win the internationally renowned Viennese company TTTech Auto GmbH as a new partner for the symposium. Stefan Poledna, Head of Technology at TTTech Auto GmbH, will discuss the opportunities and challenges of autonomous driving with well-known experts for the first time this year as part of a panel discussion during the symposium. “The discussion is far from over,” says Bernhard Geringer.